Management Competence and the Performance of County Governments in Kenya: The Moderating Effect of Organizational Resources
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47604/ejbsm.3782Keywords:
Management Competence, Organizational Resources, PerformanceAbstract
Purpose: The main objective of the study was to determine the role of organizational resources in the relationship between management competence and performance of county governments in Kenya.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used to gather the data. The 47 county governments of Kenya, made up the population of interest for the study. The study used both primary and secondary data. A well-defined questionnaire was used to gather primary information, and the target respondents were at least one senior member of Top Management Teams (Job Group R and above) in each of the 47 counties in Kenya, as enumerated in the Competency Framework for the County Public Service. The study used an objective approach and also testing of theories, hence positivist philosophy was appropriate for the study.
Findings: The analysis of the variables showed that there is a significant relationship between management competence and the performance of county governments in Kenya, and that there was a moderating effect of organizational resources on the interaction between management competence and performance.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: In furtherance of management theory, the study's findings reveal novel connections and ties between the many aspects of management that were examined. The results supported the institutional theory, that espouses that organizations build internal norms and culture, which inform on how to achieve performance targets for social and economic stability. Further the moderating effect of resources support the Resource Based View and Knowledge Based View theories, that resources create competitive advantage in an organization. Decision makers and managers in the county governments, will benefit from the study as it highlights the interaction levels of the variables, hence equipping them with the understanding of how to implement policies, that rationalize the deployment of management competence and resources accordingly. In addition, the findings will also apprise the county government management on the importance of putting in place recruitment policies that guide on specific competence that will project positive performance.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Thomas Kanda Murrey, Prof. Kennedy Ogollah, Prof. X.N. Iraki
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